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DNA@60: The Book Had to Be Written

A moment with James Watson

March 18, 2013
01 minutes
James D. Watson

 

James Watson explains why he wrote The Double Helix. An excerpt from this interview.

On 25 April, 1953, Nature published "A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid" by J.D.Watson and F.H.C.Crick, setting out the double helix structure of the molecule of heredity. This year is DNA@60. The riveting tale of the discovery of the secret of life was told by Watson in The Double Helix, published in 1968, so this year is also The Double Helix@45. On March 18, TSN Director Roger Bingham talked with Jim Watson at the California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI) on the UCLA campus. Their conversation ranged over Watson's scientific and literary lives, the double helix and The Double Helix, and his continuing quest for a cancer cure.

Bingham previously talked with Watson at the Salk Institute on September 24, 2007.

For arranging and hosting the CNSI event, thanks to Dr.William Isacoff, Dr.Lee Goodglick, and CNSI Director Dr.Paul Weiss.